Malditah Musings

The Enigma of Psychic Surgery in the Philippines Part 1

The 'bare hand' or 'psychic' surgeons of the Philippines is one of the most enduring enigmas of modern times. There was much controversy about the so-called miracle healers of the Philippines. Their ability to turn human bodies and defies not only conventional scientific and medical knowledge but also challenges what we consensually call reality. How a human body open and close by touch? How solid objects become permeable to allow a hand to move through it?

For Western man, brought up in a paradigm structured and shaped brains by thinking, it really requires a huge leap of imagination to be completely open mind to the possibility that this phenomenon exists already. It is not only a challenge to our individual sensibilities, but also in our mind which is shaped like Descartes and Newton scientific heritage.

This is an immense challenge to Consensual reality where only the material, solid, touchable, and ultimately measurable is real. The ineffable or that which can not be measured was dismissed, brands 'unique', dismissed and excluded from the main Western culture. Our society has always been dismissive of indigenous healing practices. This is probably because We will not have an understanding or an explanation of the basic principles of how this type of healing work. This is a more convenient solution to consider the activities of shamans, folk healers, and of course the surgeons' bare hands' as' previously superstition.

The current scientific Emulation is the quantum theory, a model that opens up a very curious universe indeed, where no one can actually be measured since the very action of measurement of changes in its material nature and observer is not separate from the follow.

But we look forward at it, this 'thing' is not in its own right. These are the choices we make and our behavior as observers that gives it reality at all and, even then, how we look forward and it changes it. We need to recognize that the goal becomes reality in essence a flawed concept, and aware that the number is like an instrument in development of the facts. So in the words Albert Einstein; "Reality is an illusion, albeit a persistent one."

Keeping this notion in mind, if We view the primary purpose of a ritual, ceremony, or prayer really is the impact of change, or influence the unfolding of truth. This change is often to improve the situation for a person or group of people, typically healing, drawing the benign influence and more. To extend this, the 'technique' and 'rules' for a ritual, for many reasons are identical to the 'rules' of Quantum Mechanics, and the size of ineffable spiritual is really a rational implementation of our awareness of the transient effects likely to generate waves of truth in time and space.

From this perspective, what healers and shamans are doing becomes quite reasonable, and a ceremony or act of healing is an 'act of intention operating at a quantum level', which aim is an expression of our desire to know the truth of change using the principles of Quantum Mechanics.

But the implications of this means Shamanism and the psychic surgery is explained in terms of modern physics. Psychic Surgeons and Shamans can effect change in local reality (ie their clients) through what is called 'spiritual power' operating in the quantum level.

The process of psychic surgery is rationalized the Former Professor of Physics and Chemistry at the University of Dortmund, Dr. Alfred Stelter He refers to the process of painless, barehanded operation so are:

"The healers form strong etheric force or energy in their hands with great concentration. This energy penetrates matter to cellular or even sub-atomic level where matter and energy are interchangeable. After the accumulation of etheric forces, the magnetic cohesive energy (force that holds he cells of the body together) is separated by unpolarization. And after the operation, the cells return to their previous form. "

Now from a personal view, I always feeling, that everything which is manifested in the physical world, is a cause or source. The fact that we probably will not reasonably understand, define, or explain are not related, as the sages and wise say "proof is in the pudding eating", and in ten years I was working and research in the Philippines I have come to do just that. So even though the quantum Mechanics principles may satisfy our rational and logical mind, it is not relevant. The psychic surgeons and shamans certainly not see their work in those terms. It is always an expression of great mystery. If we can embrace it as a mystery, it means that you We enter the magical world, where truth is not strong we think it is. Striving for rational explanation in some way that keeps us out, and prevents us from entering this mysterious world.

The ancestral traditions and the strong indigenous culture of the Philippines have long provided the background that fostered a climate of general tolerance and acceptance by traditional healers, shamans, and psychic surgeons. This authorization also extends to the Government ministers, President, and interesting; also powerful Catholic Church in the Philippines. With a very sympathetic feature article titled 'Priest heals through power of touch' in a recent national newspaper (the Philippine Daily Inquirer July 30, 2007 Vol 22 / No.232) about Father Fernando Saurez. One of his reasons why he national popularity has been the wife of President Arroyo, is one of the priests healed of his famous "wonderful recovery" last year. Father Saurez healing work is all approved and praised the church hierarchy.

Filipinos have acquired this tolerance from their old traditions that maintained an awareness and having faith in the spirit of nature called anitos. These strange beings living in an extended sense of the natural boundaries world. Although the Filipino people widely regard themselves as rationalists (like we do), they also as a culture are more readily to receive more difficult the complex, enigmatic, and what we know as the metaphysical and shamanic dimension of reality.

View is endorsed by research from the Asian Studies Center Organization; "While Christianity is the main religion in the Philippines since the beginning of the Spanish colonial period in 1565, it is always mixed with traditional animistic beliefs and practices, giving Philippine Catholicism a particular national character. Another characteristic of religion in the Philippines, whether it is Roman Catholic, Protestant, or Islam, that his openly practices include animistic experiences and practices.

Even with a strong desire city driven by commercial financial interest to move the consumer society of a modern 'shopping mall', marketed as the 'Philippines Dream' (part the global consumer dream). This 'Dream' is really focussed on large cities. The vast majority of people live in a more rural environment. There is also a large gap in wealth between the urban middle class and the provincial rural areas. People living in remote rural settlements and outer provinces have closer and more intimate connection to the natural world. Moreover there is often much away from modern medical facilities, and finally there is not the money to pay for modern medical treatment and drugs. This means that there is still much work to traditional healers as Albularyos (shamans), Herbolarios (herb of doctors), and Manghihilot (traditional bonesetters).

About the Author

Howard G. Charing, is an accomplished international workshop leader on shamanism. He has worked some of the most respected and extraordinary shamans & healers in the Andes, the Amazon Rainforest, and the Philippines. He organises specialist retreats to the Amazon Rainforest He is the author of Plant Spirit Shamanism (Destiny Books USA).

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